M A I N   N E W S

Relief for tsunami victims

Hollywood stars, EU nations open wallets

Los angeles, January 4
Hollywood opened its wallet to survivors of the tsunami disaster as movie stars Sandra Bullock and Leonardo DiCaprio donated big sums to relief agencies and NBC planned a celebrity-studded TV benefit.

The goodwill gestures of the entertainment industry yesterday came as US President George W. Bush and his two immediate predecessors — former Presidents Bill Clinton and George Bush, the current president's father — appealed to Americans to contribute to the massive aid effort.

Hong Kong: The classic charity theme song "We are the world" is being revived for tsunami relief efforts in a new Chinese version featuring Jackie Chan, Andy Lau, Jacky Cheung and other top Hong Kong stars.

London: The 25 European Union countries have pledged a total of £ 240 million for providing relief to victims of the tsunami disaster, an EU spokesman has said.

The amount included £ 23 million committed by the EU's executive.

Stockholm: Sweden has said it was rushing its stockpile of 200,000 doses of vaccine to prevent cholera to India and Sri Lanka amid fears of an outbreak of disease among survivors of the devastating tidal waves.

Sweden alone in the world possesses a stockpile of Dukoral, a drinkable anti-cholera vaccine, sufficient to treat 2,00,000 persons, the aid and development ministry said on Monday. — Agencies

Rajasthan adopts 175 TN villages

Jaipur: Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has taken a decision to adopt 175 villages of Tamil Nadu devastated by the tsunami and sanctioned a sum of Rs 14 crore for relief measures.

The Chief Minister has ordered the setting up of a relief camp at Chennai immediately to be operational under the supervision of her Cabinet colleagues initially for two weeks. — TNS

Temple panel collects 22 lakh

Jalandhar: Under its ongoing unique drive, dozens of members and office-bearers of the Shri Devi Talab Temple Management Committee walked through the city today and collected relief, running into lakhs of rupees, for tsunami victims.

According to Mr Vij, the committee, during its three-day drive, had collected Rs 22 lakh from residents and the amount would be handed over to the Punjab Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, next week so that it could be further extended for tsunami-affected people. — TNS

Cheques for CM’s Relief Fund

Chandigarh: Co-operation Minister Jasjit Singh Randhawa today presented a cheque of Rs 1.10 crore to Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh for rehabilitation of the tsunami victims. Another cheque of Rs 10 lakh was presented by the Transport Minister Mohinder Singh Kaypee.

Mr Randhawa presented the cheque on behalf of co-operative societies and Markfed employees, while Mr Kaypee handed over the cheque on behalf of Punjab Road Transport Corporation. — TNS

Polishing shoes for victims

Phagwara: Adopting a novel way, the Janata Seva Samiti, led by Mr Vipin Khurana, today collected funds for tsunami victims by polishing shoes. A small stage was set at a vantage point at the entrance of the crowded Bansawala bazaar on Banga road.

A mike was fitted for making appeals to passers-by to donate to the prime minister's tsunami relief fund by getting their shoes polished. People donated liberally after getting their shoes shined.

Meanwhile, Activists of the Shiv Sena (Bal Thackeray) led by its vice-president Pawan Parbhakar, today collected funds for tsunami victims. They collected donations on the GT road from passers-by.

Mr Pawan Parbhakar disclosed that their target was to collect Rs 1 lakh. They had collected Rs 36,000 yesterday. He said they were confident they would be able to collect the remaining amount today.

"After collection from the GT road, we would go to the bazaar for the collection in the evening," added Mr Parbhakar. — OC

HP CM donates Rs 18,000

Shimla: Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister, today made a personal contribution of Rs 18,000 towards the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, while Mr Kaul Singh Thakur, Irrigational and Public Health Minister, donated Rs 15,000 towards the fund for helping the Tsunami sufferers.

A cheque for Rs 8.11 lakh was presented by Mr Gangu Ram Musafir, speaker, to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. The money was raised from a cricket match between the Governor-XI and the chief minister-XI organised by the vidhan sabha recently. The Emami group of companies contributed Rs 5 lakh and the Information and Public Relations Department collected Rs 81,662 for the relief fund.

The State Secretariat Employees Confederation contributed Rs 5,82,604, the State Secretariat Drivers Association Rs 25,536 and Mr Natha Singh Thakur, chairman, State Cooperative Bank, Rs 7,500. — TNS

Doctors contribution

Kurukshetra: A cheque for Rs 58,700 was handed over to the Deputy Commissioner, Kurukshetra, Mr Subhash Goel, here last evening as contribution towards the tsunami relief fund through the District Red Cross Society, Kurukshetra, by members of the Indian Medical Association (IMA).

Dr N.K. Gandhi, secretary, IMA, Kurukshetra unit, accompanied by the IMA senior members, Dr A.C. Nagpal and Dr S.L. Sahni, handed over the cheque to Mr Goel. — OC

Haryana gives Rs 3 cr cheque

Chandigarh: Haryana Finance Minister Sampat Singh yesterday handed over a cheque for Rs 3 crore to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa in Chennai for undertaking relief operations for victims of tsunami in Tamil Nadu.

He said although most of the relief material and medicines had already been sent as per requirements of the Tamil Nadu Government, Haryana would send more relief material as and when required by Tamil Nadu.

A wide range of medicines worth Rs 56 lakh for managing fever, diarrhoea and dysentery and drugs to deal with medical emergencies had already been sent by Haryana.

In addition to this, 4400 baby suits, 3504 T-shirts, 2096 frocks, 1000 dhotis and 800 saris worth Rs 12 lakh were also sent. Further, 1000 buckets and 1000 mugs received from Gurgaon district were also sent for the disaster-affected victims. — TNS